


Furores

by Azzy_Darling



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, No happy end, One-Sided Attraction, Parallel Universes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-07 01:55:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5439164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azzy_Darling/pseuds/Azzy_Darling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick Grayson follows Bruce through the portal, hunting for Damians casket. But he ends up in a parallel world where the world as we know it ended.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HeavenOnFire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeavenOnFire/gifts).



> First off I took every goddamn storyline and slammed it together old 52, new 52, and even stuff that is marvel (civil war)... and so forth, so you won't find a hella lot canon stuff here per se. Had some debates with friends whether not Jason dies (game verse) by the Jokers hand, I say nay, others say yay - so I'm going with the version that I believe, just sayin. 
> 
> No smut either. Also it's a pretty sad story - so read the warnings!
> 
> Also might want to mention that this story is finished, and has just been floating on my computer for ages. And it's NOT BETAED, couldn't find anyone to do it, so you gotta live with my terrible punctuation, and probably weird grammar - the joys of writing in another language than my native.
> 
> There is a soundtrack [@8tracks](http://8tracks.com/darlingazzy/furores-fanfiction-soundtrack)
> 
> Art by HeavenOnFire - I love it to bits!!

_'m gonna fight 'em off_  
A seven nation army couldn't hold me back  
They're gonna rip it off  
Taking their time right behind my back  
And I'm talkin' to myself at night  
Because I can't forget  
Back and forth through my mind  
Behind a cigarette  
And the message comin' from my eyes says, "Leave it alone."

_-The White Stripes_

* * *

 

 

 

Art by HeavenOnFire

 

Jason was sitting on a rooftop, his legs dangling out over the edge of the building, and stared out over the ruins below him. He could see movement down in the streets, and it would have looked like any other day in Gotham was it not for the fact that all the people below him was dead, they weren’t on their way to work or to the mall. They were staggering sluggishly, aimlessly around in the hunt for something living to rip apart. Jason had gotten used to them now, it was just how it was, it was how it had been for five years now. The world had ended and thinking back he remembered how they had tried to contain it, to fight back. They had believed it, they had all thought that they’d make a difference, that the world would be right again, just like it had been so many times before. Then Cass had died and Bruce had built a wall, both figuratively and literally. They had built a wall around the Wayne manor to keep out the world, and Bruce locked himself in the batcave leaving the rest of them to – Jason’s train of thoughts was interrupted by a sudden eruption of movement on the street, all the walkers suddenly turned and walked very determined north. He looked up, scanning the buildings but didn’t see anything.

He stood op, curious as to what would wake the walkers from their silent apathy. So he jumped the rooftops in the direction of the walkers. Finally he saw something he held up his hand to shield from the setting sun. It was a person scrambling to scale a wall.

_Up a wall?_

No ordinary survivor would chose do that! Besides most of them would be clever enough to stay clear of the streets. Curiosity got the better of him and he jumped the scaffolding and on to a ruined wall and made it to the building where the person had made it up the wall. The more he thought about it, he could feel goosebumps form, he knew those moves, he had only ever known one person who was agile enough to scale a wall without any aid. “Hello?” He called out on the rooftop as he cocked his gun. “I know you’re here.”

What Jason had not expected was the person came from behind, when he felt his feet swept from the ground and the roof rush towards his face, all he could think was ‘stupid’. He rolled around before the person could hold him down, and what he saw felt like a punch to his stomach.

“Jason?” The person breathed out as he stepped back. “What the –“

“Who are you?” Jason growled, his surprise turned to anger, white glowing anger. He got to his feet a little less gracefully than he would have liked. “WHO ARE YOU?” He screamed, his hands shaking so much his gun rattled.

“I..”

“Take off that mask!” Jason said calmer than before, and this time he aimed the gun at the imposter again, “Now!” The imposter took off the mask slowly, and Jason felt his knees get weak for a moment, as he stared directly into the face he knew so well, a face he had mapped out with his fingers, a face he would never forget, it haunted him wherever he went. It was Dick’s face. “You got one minute to tell me who you are!” He said visibly shaken.

“Surely you know me,” Dick said holding up his hands in a defensive pose. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Try me.” Jason growled, the gun still shaking in his hand.

“Alright, Bruce went through a portal to save Damian, I wanted to protect him so I went with him, together with Cass and Cyborg – but somehow I ended here, and… I know you Jason Todd, what I don’t know is where or when I am, or what the hell happened here – what happened to the world.”

Jason licked his lips, he wanted to believe that so bad. A world where both Dick and Cass was alive sounded like – “Are you here to kill me?”

“Kill you?” Dick laughed a little despite the intense situation. “No.”

“Alright,” Jason lowered his gun, “I don’t believe you, and I don’t trust you – but I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, and we gotta get off the street. Now.”  In reality Jason knew that deep inside it was because he could never leave someone, even if it was just wearing Dick’s face to what was out here at night. “They” He gestured down at the street, “They change at night, and we don’t want to be caught outside.”

“Okay.” Dick glanced down at the street with a worried expression.

Jason turned and began the trek back to his hideout, Dick right behind him. They made it to his door and he let them in before he slid a massive steel slider to barricade the door.  “I have baked beans in a tin. You hungry?”

“Sure.” Dick said. “Uhm, are we safe here?”

Jason nodded, “As safe as any of us can be out here.” He went to get a can of baked beans, and some matches to light candles around the room. “The power went out a couple of years ago.” He shrugged, “We manage.”

“Oh.” Dick said scratching his hair.

“I’m sure the Dome and Wayne manor has power.” Jason said as he handed Dick a tin with baked beans and a fork in it.

“Can I ask why you are here then?” Dick said watching as Jason sat down opposite him.

“Sure.” Jason said with a shrug, “I chose it.”

Dick frowned but didn’t say anything, he just started eating his cold baked beans.

“I can take you to Wayne manor tomorrow.” Jason said.

“I gotta figure out a way to get home, and well maybe Bruce knows –“

Jason laughed bitterly, “Yeah maybe he does. Eat up, these things doesn’t grow on trees.”

“So you gonna tell me what happened?” Dick asked softly, sitting cross-legged on the floor studying Jason in the candlelight.

“The world died.” Jason stated.

“I saw that.” Dick said drily, “I mean - why did it die?”

“The Joker died, Harley went _completely_ insane and doctored up this anti laughing gas, it made people crazy violent lunatics, but not only that – it also reanimated them when they were killed.” Jason said stirring the last of his baked beans with his fork.  “So there.”

“That’s…” Dick just sat there and stared at Jason, “She really did this to the world?”

“Yep.” Jason said with a shrug, “That’s love for you.”

“That is terrible.” Dick shook his head sadly.

“Is – Is Cass and Tim really alive in your uhm world?” Jason asked, he hated himself for asking because that was the same as validating this ludicrous portal story. But he just had to know.

Dick nodded with a little smile, and then a second later came to the terrible conclusion that they didn’t exist here. “They’re dead?”

Jason nodded.

“What about –“

“They’re all dead, everyone you can think of is hiding or is dead.” Jason said with a harsh tone in his voice. “Most were hunted down right after the whole anti laughing gas shit I just told you about. They died at the hands of angry mobs of frightened people, the same people they had vowed to protect. The mobs didn’t care much which side you were on, or who your friends were or –“ Jason stood up and went to get something in the other end of the room, “It reminds me, we should do something about your appearance, otherwise we won’t make it to Wayne manor.”

“Wait, what?”

Jason sighed. “Your costume.” He tossed some clothes in the lap of Dick, “Burn it.”

“What why?”

“Because…” Jason paused “Just do it.”

“So who… who is alive?” Dick said in a whisper, staring down at the clothes in his lap.

“Let’s see… Like I’m gonna tell you that.” Jason chuckled, a little bitter smile on his lips, “I am going to deliver you to Bruce and then he decides what you are.”

“I don’t understand.” Dick mumbled looking up at Jason.

“Alright let’s assume that you really don’t know.” Jason said staring into Dick’s eerily familiar eyes. “There was a bill that some wanted to pass; a law that masked vigilantes was no longer allowed – some thought it was alright, and some fought against it, claiming that if we revealed our identities our families would be in danger. Long story short, the law became reality and all masked heroes and villains had to drop the mask.” Jason sat down again, staring into the flames of the candles more than on Dick. “And there were some incidents and accidents with people being killed, fired, evicted and so forth.”

“Why? I don’t understand –“

Jason looked up, “They were afraid of metahumans, that was why.”

“But we’re not metahumans…” Dick whispered.

“They didn’t care.” Jason said softly, “One day you were defenders of humanity, next day you were all criminals. Those who could leave earth - did. The rest of us just had to stick it out.”  Jason looked up at Dick sadly, “There were those of us like me, Slade, Oliver Queen, John Constantine and Selina who got under the radar, people didn’t know us without masks, and didn’t know our names or faces, so we just dropped the costume, and started living normal lives.”

“Watching your friends get hurt?” Dick asked in horror.

“Funny cause that’s exactly what Dick, _my_ Dick, said.” Jason scuffed. “And look where it got him.” He sighed and got to his feet. “Maybe we should get some sleep, it’s gonna take a while to get to the Wayne manor.”

Dick nodded.

“I only have one bed so you gotta bunk down with me.” Jason said, realizing that it was pretty poorly thought through. “I still don’t trust you, so one wrong move and you’re dead.”

“Fair enough.” Dick said.

They laid down back to back on Jason’s mattress.

_[“It’s gonna be fine,” Dick whispered, kissing his way up Jason’s throat and jawline. “They’ll soon enough realize they need us.”_

_“I don’t think so.” Jason turned his head and looked into Dick’s eyes, kissing his lips softly. “I need you more than they do.” He smiled against Dick’s soft lips._

_Dick wrapped an arm around Jason’s waist and pulled him closer, “I’d never leave you baby.” He grinned, “I love you.”_

_Jason flipped them around so he was on top of Dick, holding him down with his weight. “I love you too.” He whispered._

_Dick flipped them around once more so he was on top. He kissed Jason passionately, smiling as Jason purred like a big cat into their kiss. “I got to help Bruce, you know that… And what about Damian, or Tim? Even Alfred.” He paused, “I wish you’d come with me.”_

_“Can we just not talk about this?” Jason whispered, lifting his head to kiss Dick’s lips again._

_“Jay, please.”_

_“They killed Cass.” Jason stated, “They straight up murdered her, and have you forgotten what they did to Kendra? I’m not gonna help those fucking savages, and I wish you wouldn’t either.” Jason cupped Dick’s face in his hands, “Please stay with me.”]_

“Jason!”

“JASON!”

Jason blinked awake only to look straight into Dick’s worried face, in pure reaction Jason yelped and scrambled off the mattress in chock to find those eyes outside his dream.

“You had a nightmare.” Dick said lamely.

Jason rubbed his throat, he felt hoarse so maybe it was right. “Was I screaming?”

Dick nodded, “And you kept repeating ‘don’t go’ to someone.”

“Oh.” Jason rubbed his face with his hands. They sat in silence for a while, and that pressure in Jason’s chest didn’t seem to subside, he had not felt like crying since – since Dick died.  “The mobs,” he whispered, “They killed Cass, and they killed _you_.” Jason closed his eyes, “You insisted on doing the right thing, you insisted on talking to them, making them understand that they didn’t have to be afraid. You had all the right intentions and the heart of an unsung hero.” Jason’s voice dropped to a whisper, “They didn’t listen, and I was not strong enough to save you. They were just too many.” He looked up at Dick with tears in his eyes, “You are _dead_ Dick, DEAD! How are you sitting here?”

Dick said nothing he just took Jason’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m real.”

“Don’t touch me.” Jason hissed, and Dick took his hand back. “Get dressed, it’s almost sunrise.” He said trying to sound casual as he got to his feet.

-*-

The silence stretched, even as they were painfully slowly making their way across the ruins of Gotham. “What is that?” Dick yelled.

Jason turned around and watched where Dick was pointing. It was a huge dome in the horizon. “That is the Dome, whatever is left of humanity around here, lives there. There are other domes I’m told. But basically it’s a self-sufficient eco system, allowing people to live normal lives again.”

“They just walled themselves in?”

“Funny part is that Superman actually built them, and I know that Bruce sunk money into it.” Jason looked up at Dick who just looked confused. “Superman was banished from earth and left shortly after, and Bruce.. well, you’re gonna see that soon.”

“That is crazy.” Dick shook his head in disgust.

“It’s survival.” Jason stated, “We all do what we gotta do.”

“So, if they came for everyone with a mask.” Dick asked casually as they walked on, “Why didn’t they come for Bruce?”

“Oh but they did.” Jason replied, “But they didn’t find him. They burned down Wayne manor though. And that was when Bruce lost all his faith in humanity, and then he built the concrete wall, too high for any human or walker to scale, and no other way in – there is no tunnel or gate.” Jason stopped, “Look you can see the wall there in the horizon.”

Dick squinted his eyes and then nodded, “That is massive!”

“Indeed.” Jason nodded, “I’m not sure who it’s designed to keep out, or in. But I should perhaps warn you.” He stopped and turned to Dick, “Bruce lost his fucking mind, _maybe_ you can reason with him, but I doubt it”

“Because they burned down the mansion?” Dick asked.

“Because they killed Cass.” Jason stated. “She refused to be locked in behind that wall, and stayed out here and tried to capture as many freaks as she could.” Jason laughed bitterly, “That’s what we called them before we knew what they were, _freaks_.” Jason turned and looked at Dick, “That was when everyone still believed we could find some sort of antidote or cure to the gas, so we rounded up those afflicted and took them to giant holding pens.” He turned around and sighed, “Didn’t work that way.”

“I’m sorry.”

Jason ignored him and continued, “The gas slowly killed those afflicted, and when they died they became something far worse.” He looked over his shoulder at Dick, “We should go.”

“So the people afflicted with the gas came back from the dead and started to eat others, I get that. People were afraid, and scared people do stupid things, but…” Dick asked as he effortlessly followed Jason across the rooftops.

“They blamed us.” Jason stated, “Humanity blamed all the superheroes _and_ supervillains for what happened. And they were right.” Jason landed on his feet and looked around for the easiest way to the next roof. “Had Bruce not killed the Joker, Harley wouldn’t have gone off the rails, and… well none of this would have happened.”

“Bruce _killed_ the Joker?”

“Yes.” Jason said, “He snapped or something, I don’t know man. Joker had been trying to get inside Bruce’s head for years, and maybe he finally succeeded.”

Dick nodded.

“What’s he like? Your Bruce?” Jason asked, inwardly berating himself for once more truly believing that stupid story.

“He is tormented.” Dick said honestly. “First he lost you, and –“

“He lost me?” Jason asked, stopping dead in his step, turning to Dick, “What do you mean?”

“Joker.” Dick said, “He caught you and your mother, beat you and blew you both to bits, just to spite Batman.” He sighed and looked past Jason over at the huge concrete wall in front of them. “You came back, but you were never _you_ again. So filled with rage and hate, so broken.”

Jason smiled bitterly, “Seems like he fails me and everyone else, no matter what reality we’re in.” He shook his head, “Come on.” He started walking again.

“How are we going to get over that wall?” Dick asked as they finally stopped on the rooftop closest to the wall.

Jason smiled again as he picked up a rock from the rubble on the rooftop, he tossed it over the wall and the moment it passed into the inner sanctum, lamps blinked, and cameras placed on the top of the wall scanned the area. Jason waved with his arms at the camera. “Bruce!” He yelled. Moments later a hatch in the ground opened and a young man came out.

“Damian! Shoot the rappel over here!” Jason waved his arms.

The rappel hit the brick wall behind them. “After you.” Jason grinned and Dick just shrugged and jumped on the rappel, dangling several floors over the thick carpet of undead below him.

They both made it over the wall and once down on the ground, Jason found his arms full of Damian, “Hey kiddo.” Jason smiled, hugging him tight.

Damian looked over at Dick and frowned, “Who are you? And why are you wearing Dick’s face?”

Jason smiled, “That is what we’re here to figure out.”

The trip down the elevator was silent until Damian suddenly said. “I haven’t seen Bruce in days, I don’t know how he’s gonna react to you being here, and to _that_.” He gestured at Dick.

“Don’t worry kid.” Jason smiled. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

Damian just shot Jason a dirty glare but didn’t answer.

The elevator stopped and the first thing Jason saw was Alfred, he looked haggard but still every bit Alfred. “Master Jason.” Alfred lit up in a smile, “You haven’t visited in a long time.”

“Alfred.” Jason said with a smile, “I need to talk to Bruce.”

“And who is –“ Alfred stopped dead and just stared at Dick.

Dick smiled at Alfred, not sure what he should do, hoping that Bruce had some way of validating him.

“Let me take you to Bruce.” Alfred just said and walked off, Jason and Dick in tow. He knocked a heavy steel door, apparently to some sort of study. “Master Bruce, you have a visitor.”

“No.”

“You want to see this Master Bruce.” Alfred said, “Believe me.”

Slowly the door opened and Bruce looked out, “Jason.” He just stated, “What do you want?”

Jason blinked bored, “I want you to listen to my new friend here.” He nodded towards Dick, who just stood and wrung his hands next to him.

“Richard?” Bruce gasped, and then looked back at Jason, “How? What is..”

“Go on,” Jason nudged Dick towards Bruce.

-*-

Jason went to the kitchen and sat down, it felt like a million years since he had been here last. “So what’s it like outside the wall?” Damian asked, sliding into a chair next to Jason.

“Bad.” Jason said, “The survivors outside the Dome get’s less and less every day.”

Damian sighed, “So you really think that was Dick?”

“I don’t know.” Jason answered truthfully, accepting the tea that Alfred handed him. “I mean it wouldn’t be the craziest thing happening.”

“Yeah.” Damian admitted, before he looked up at Jason. “When are you coming home?”

Jason didn’t answer, he just smiled.

[ _“YOU KILLED HIM!” Jason cried, throwing a monitor at Bruce, “You and your fucking code of ethics, you sent him out there to talk people down – without a weapon!” ignoring the tears he could feel on his cheeks, Jason went for the next monitor in line._

_“I didn’t make him go out there!” Bruce argued._

_“You didn’t fucking stop him!” Jason screamed, “You should have stopped him!”_

_“Jason, please listen – it had nothing to do with me.” Bruce said trying to calm down Jason._

_“It had **everything** to do with you! You made him believe we could be normal, that we didn’t have to hide or fight back!” Jason yelled knocking over a table in his wake. “He believed every word you said!”_

_“Yet he wanted to be normal for **you**.” Bruce bit back._

_“What?!” Jason just stood there and stared at Bruce for a long time, “Oh I should have killed you a long time ago, then maybe, just maybe Cass and Dick would still be alive!” He sneered._

_Tim placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder to calm him. “Don’t fucking touch me!” Jason screamed, lunging out after Tim. “You!” He pointed at Bruce, “How many more have to die before you understand that the time for talking is **over**!” Jason roared with rage and sorrow._ ]

“Jason?” Bruce said softly, shaking Jason from his thoughts.

“Yeah?” Jason looked up at Bruce with a fake smile. “So did you figure something out?”

Bruce nodded, “He is without a doubt Richard Grayson.”

Jason looked away, “I see.”

“I don’t exactly know what to do with it yet, if his story is true, and I see no reason why it shouldn’t be. Then we need to figure out a way to get him home.” Bruce wet his lips, “I just don’t know how.”

“Maybe you should just enjoy your second chance.” Jason said acidly.

“Don’t be like that.” Bruce said. “I loved him like a son, you know that.”

“Well I loved him too!” Jason growled, standing up so fast his chair tipped over.

“I know.” Bruce said in a near whisper.

“I watched him _die_ Bruce, and for what?” Jason argued loudly. “I will _never_ forgive you for _any_ of it!”

“I know.” Bruce said calmly.

“I’m going back out; I can’t stay in this tomb, with you and with _him_.” Jason shouldered Bruce hard as he walked past him, “At least I _know_ what is trying to kill me out there.” He muttered as he got on the elevator.

Dick stood in the door, listening in to Bruce and Jason’s argument. “Wait!” Dick yelled before Jason could get on the elevator. And to his surprise Jason hesitated and turned around looking at him with an angry frown, but his eyes were the saddest he had ever seen. “I never thanked you for saving me, or for taking me here. You went above and beyond Todd.”

“You’re welcome.” Jason said flatly. “I hope you find your way home.”

“Me too.” Dick said, “Be safe out there okay?”

“It’s safer than in here.” Jason just snarled, and pushed the button on the elevator.

-*-

“This was Dick’s room.” Damian said as he pushed the door open to a small square cell, “Or well he never got to live here, but it’s his stuff, and in some roundabout way that makes it your stuff, right?”

“I don’t know if…” Dick looked down at Damian.

“I know it’s what Bruce would want.” Damian said with a nod, gesturing for Dick to enter the room.

“You call him Bruce too, huh?” Dick said, “My Damian calls him father.”

“Really?” Damian said, “Tell me about him. Please – I mean your Damian.”

“What is there to tell? He’s a headstrong kid.” Dick said, not sure if he should tell the truth.

Damian nodded, “Are we the same age or?”

“Good question, you look older than he does, so I assume that you are.” Dick just said.

Damian studied Dick with intelligent blue eyes, “Why are you avoiding my questions?”

Dick sighed, “Damian is dead, that is why I’m here to begin with.” He smiled softly at Damian, “Damian died, and Bruce went to get him back. I wanted to follow, but.. yeah I’m here instead.”

“What killed him?” Damian asked with eyes wide.

“The Heretic.” Dick answered, “It was a clone of Damian which Talia made, your twin if you want – I can’t really tell you why, revenge I suppose.”

“Wow.”

“Ah Master Damian and master Dick, I thought I could find you here.” Alfred said, standing in the open door. “Master Damian, maybe it’s time you let master Dick get some sleep.” He smiled at the boys.

“Is it okay that I’m here?” Dick asked.

“In master Dick’s room? Absolutely.” Alfred said with a nod, “After all you _are_ master Dick.” He gestured for Damian, “Come along now young sir.”

“Maaaan.” Damian whined but left the room.

The door closed and Dick was alone with the other Dick’s stuff. It was such a weird feeling. He started to look in some of the boxes, thinking that he could maybe find some clothes. Eventually he found a box with clothes, and in it he found a small metal box. He lifted it out, conflicted if he should open it.

Dick sat down on the bed with the box, and struggled with his curiosity, he wanted to know more about this world’s Dick, and maybe it was in here. Finally he lifted the lid and looked down into the metal box, there was a ring, he picked it up and looked at it, it was engraved with ‘Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam’, Dick sat and read the phrase over and over, “Latin… He knew Latin, who would have thought?” He put the ring aside and went through some of the other stuff, it must have meant something to the other Dick, but to Dick it was completely rubbish the most of it. Then he saw the picture, it was Dick and Jason though the photo was slightly out of focus, they looked young and happy, a far cry from the Jason who had just left. He turned the photo around and with a childish handwriting it said _‘I will find a way, love you - Jay’_. Dick sat and stared at the photo, flipping it from the picture side to the text, and slowly it dawned on him; Jason and Dick had been lovers! Why hadn’t he seen the signs before now? He picked up the ring again, if he could only read what it said.  He tossed it all back into the box, and slid the box under the bed. Lovers… The thought sat badly with him, Jason was his brother! How? What had they been thinking? Did it really matter? Poor Jason. He could only imagine what it would be like to know that Barbara was dead, and then to see her standing there except it wasn’t really her. And for the first time Dick felt like an imposter.

The next day Dick had gone to see Bruce, he was nose deep in old books, cross-referencing stuff on a piece of paper. “Good morning Dick.” Bruce said with a smile, “I hope you slept well.”

“I did.” Dick said, “Thank you for letting me use uhm.. that room.”

“Well it’s yours.” Bruce said casually, “It has just been waiting for you.”

Dick studied Bruce, was he that out of touch with reality? Dick decided against reminding Bruce of who he was, and just nodded towards the books, “Are you getting somewhere?”

“No.” Bruce sighed, “Not really.”


	2. Chapter 2

Four months went by, and for Jason things had gone back to almost normal. That first week he had felt like someone had ripped his heart out all over again. The pain that had become a part of him so long ago, had flared with the intensity of a thousand suns. Dick had been right there, _right there_!

He had tried not to think of it too much, just get back to his normal routine. He was coming home from an almost fatal trip to one of the supermarkets who hadn’t been completely gutted. He had cut himself on the barbed wire, and his hands were bleeding, he had to stop it quickly before the walkers could pinpoint him. He had made it to the roof where his hideout was, and then suddenly Damian had been standing there, just staring at him. “Damian?” Jason huffed short of breath, dropping his backpack, opening it to get the cloth out he knew he had stowed away down there.

“You gotta come with me.” Damian proclaimed urgently.

“What’s wrong?” Jason asked, too busy wrapping his hand to look up at Damian.

Damian came and sat down opposite Jason and took the cloth from him, gently wrapping Jason’s hand. “It’s Bruce.” Damian said softly. “I think he lost it.”

“Sorry to tell you kiddo,” Jason said, holding out his other hand to have that wrapped as well. “He lost it years ago.”

“No, I mean he… uhm he sent Dick to find Barry.” Damian said softly.

“Dick…”

“Yeah that new Dick, who’s actually a really nice guy. He sent him out to find Barry. Convinced that the Flash can create enough friction to power up the machine which would create a portal.” Damian said, “’Cept he ain’t talking about sending Dick home.”

“What?”

“No, Bruce somehow convinced himself that the new Dick is our Dick, like he was never gone.” Damian said, “He wants the portal to bring in others to aid him. People like another Tim, another Cass and another you.”

“He wants to build a new family by stealing them from other dimensions? That is straight up crazy talk kiddo.” Jason looked down at his hands.

“Please we need to find Dick.” Damian said, “All I know is that he went over towards the old Asylum, because rumor has it that Barry is there somewhere, but you know Bruce.”

“No weapons.” Jason whispered as he looked up and met Damian’s eyes. Jason wet his lips, “Go home, I will see if I can find Dick.”

“Alright.” Damian said as he got to his feet, “I hope he’s okay.”

“So do I.” Jason admitted.

-*-

Jason cursed Bruce all the way to the area of the old Arkham Asylum. How could he? Images flashed before his eyes, seeing Dick gasping on the ground, sticky from his own blood. That sinking dread threatening to drown him, that hole inside him when hope gave out, like when he _knew_ that Bruce wasn’t coming for him, no one was going to save him – and he would die here, or worse. If history repeated itself, he would fucking kill Bruce, no thinking, no talking, no sentiment – just shoot him point blank. What the hell was Bruce thinking? His Dick would have known, but this Dick didn’t have the first clue as to find Barry. “Grayson!” Jason called as he scanned the area, “Grayson!” He could hear the walkers below get agitated, hearing something that was a potential meal.

“Jason!” Dick called back, waving his arms three buildings down.

Jason let out a breath he wasn’t aware he had been holding. “Stay!” He yelled as he slowly made his way to where Dick was. Finally on the rooftop, Dick smiled embarrassed, limping towards him.

“I slipped.” Dick admitted with a little laugh, “I thought that pipe would hold, and it didn’t. And those things were down there so I had to do something, so I jumped to a ledge and – this.”

“It’s fine.” Jason said with a little smile, “I’m just glad you’re okay.” He looked up towards the sky, “It’s almost dark, we need to get inside. No way we’re gonna make it to Barry’s today.” He offered Dick his arm to lean on.

Once inside Jason barricaded the window and door as well as he could, and made a small fireplace from a chair. “I got more beans.” He said with a disarming smile.

“Yes please.” Dick said in time with his stomach rumbling. “So how did you find me?”

Ignoring the question, Jason just handed Dick a can of beans, “So Damian said Bruce has lost the plot completely.”

“Absolutely.” Dick admitted, “I just didn’t know what to do.”

“It’s not your fault.” Jason said, “He was off the charts to begin with.”

Dick nodded.

They sat in silence and ate the beans, until Jason put away his can and said “Let me see that ankle.”

“You sure?”

“Of course I’m sure.” Jason said, “I’m good at this, don’t worry.” Offered the sore limb Jason gently pulled off the boot, and expertly started to prod it searching for anything broken.  “Tell me about your home.” Jason asked innocently.

And Dick obliged, he told him about family stuff, how Tim would be more immature than Damian, and how they would all be a family, gracefully leaving the story about his Jason, and Damian’s demise out of it.

Jason smiled and even chuckled while listening and gently massaging the ankle. It felt so familiar he almost forgot reality. “Your home sounds nice,” He said softly, “I’m sorry you landed in this mess.”

“What does _aut viam inveniam aut faciam_ mean?” Dick asked, noticing that Jason stopped massaging for a second, before he apparently got a grip of himself.

“It means _I will either find a way or make one_.” Jason said calmly.

“I saw the ring, was it a gift from you?” Dick said, deciding to plunge down into it.

“It was.” Jason said.

“Do you want it back? I can bring you his box of personal stuff if you want me to.” Dick offered with a gentle smile.

Jason shook his head, “No, it never did anyone any good to go digging about in the past.”

“He was really proud of you.”

Jason licked his lips nervously, looking up at Dick, “Do you, do you have someone back home, someone waiting for you?”

“Yeah.” Dick said, “Barbara.”

“Gordon?”

“Yeah.”

Jason smiled but it never made it to his eyes, “I hope we find a way to get you home to her.”

-*-

Hours later Dick woke to the sound of muffled crying, Jason’s arm was wrapped around him. Dick laid in complete motionless silence for a while trying to figure out what to do. Jason was whimpering in his sleep. Dick slowly turned in Jason’s embrace and whispered, “Wake up Jason.” When that didn’t work he gently shook Jason’s shoulder with his free arm, “Jason you’re having a nightmare.”

Jason didn’t open his eyes, but tightened his hold on Dick pulling him flush against him, and before Dick knew what to do, Jason kissed him desperately. Dick let it happen, he didn’t know why, but he did. “I dreamt you were dead.” Jason whispered broken, kissing him softly again.

“Jason.” Dick said more firmly. “Jason wake up!”

Jason’s eyes opened wide. “Oh God!” He pushed off Dick as was he poisonous, scrambling off the sleeping mat. “Oh God… I’m so sorry, I wasn’t thinking.. I.”

“It’s okay.” Dick said softly.

“No it’s _not_ ” Jason said mortified.

“Come on Jason, it was my fault too.” Dick offered.

Jason looked over at Dick, trying to read his emotions on his expression. “I can’t trust myself apparently.”

“Trust me then.” Dick said patting the bedroll again, “I said it’s fine.” 

Jason hesitantly stood up and in doing that rejected Dick’s olive branch. “It’s almost dawn anyway.” He mumbled.

“Tell me about him.” Dick said softy, “If that’s not too weird.”

Jason huffed, “This is plenty weird, don’t see how talking about a dead man can make it any weirder.” He sighed and studied the sky out the grimy window. “When I was lost, he was the one to find me.” He looked over at Dick for a short notice, “See much like your- uhm me. Bruce gave up on me, I didn’t understand why, maybe I still don’t. But Dick was there, he would talk me down when I was scared or angry, stay through my night terrors, and he would bring me food and take me out to just sit and watch the sun rise.” Jason smiled at his distorted mirror image in the window. “I think he loved me more than I ever loved myself.”

When Dick was silent, Jason took another deep breath, “Must have been hard on him, living a double life like that. He had left Wayne manor many years prior, but something in him never left, he would seek Bruce out for advice, and Bruce would lean on him as well. In that way they had something that none of us had with either of them.”

“The ring, what’s the story?”

Jason rose to the front of his feet looking out the window. “It was a keepsake, a ring I had made for him because I was afraid to lose him. I thought that a memento would serve as a reminder of what we were.” He stuck his hands in his pockets to stop fidgeting. “Bruce was upset because I was the black sheep, I killed people, the Wayne code forbade that, and for some fucked up reason Dick still abided by that. So Bruce wanted Dick to distance himself from me, because of what I was, what I _am_ \- not one of the good guys.”

“But you were fighting crime right?”

“Yeah.” Jason said, “Just not the ones that Bruce wanted me to, and not how he wanted it. I did just not play by his rules. At all. But Dick understood, and for long periods I really tried, I made more than one honest attempt of fitting in and forgiving. I know Dick were caught between us, and I would have done anything to change that. Suppose I should have known that Bruce would never let Dick go, so maybe I should have.” He turned to look at Dick in the dark, “If I had walked away, maybe he’d still be alive.” He shook his head sadly, “That is the story about the ring, it was a promise, and maybe a threat.” Jason looked up again, “I know you’re gonna ask me how he died. My answer is; ask Bruce.”

“But I’m asking _you_.” Dick said softly, recognizing the anger burning in the young man’s eyes.

“Dick came to me in tears, I have never seen him cry, not once! But he was sobbing, just content to be silent and let me hold him all night. The next day I asked him why he had been so upset, and he just said that he couldn’t live like this, he couldn’t live with me and Bruce hating each other. And I was terrified of losing him, so I offered what I thought he needed - I offered a normal relationship; you know dating stuff, no more crime hunting and swinging from rooftops, thinking I held true to my promise of finding a way to be with him.” Jason frowned, “But then the masks were forbidden, and everything suddenly became very different. Bruce had decided to go along with it, and _dictated_ Dick that he should end Nightwing.” Jason looked away from Dick and took a couple of deep breaths, as his tale continued his voice was shaking. “I refused to put down the mask at first, but then Dick begged me to do it, seeing as angry mobs would kill off anyone who they thought was metahuman or used to be a masked vigilante, they didn’t care if you were a crime fighter or a crime boss. All they saw was the guilt; they blamed us all for Harley’s revenge on the world.”

Jason started to pace the room back and forth, “The world knew that Nightwing was Richard Grayson. And that was his death. See Bruce had lulled him into this stupid idea that people were just afraid, and that since Dick wasn’t metahuman he had nothing to be afraid of. People just needed to see that he was just a person like them. Bruce wanted to humanise us, believing that would be the answer. And that people would listen.” Jason stopped and turned to Dick. “They didn’t. They weren’t afraid, they were rabid.”

Dick was silent still, just waiting for Jason to continue.

“So he had asked me out for dinner.” Jason smiled, “It was a great dinner, and for a moment I started to think that I was wrong, and that Bruce might be right. Maybe they just needed to see we were normal human beings, doing normal stuff. We left the restaurant I remember he held my hand, and we were just talking about some guy’s ugly hair, and how the sauce had been terrible. Out of fucking nowhere – NOWHERE! They were there, like fifty people just aiming weapons at us. Dick looked at me and said ‘don’t worry Jay, let me handle it’. He always called me that, _Jay_.” Jason stopped and collected himself. “He stood there trying to talk them down, explaining to them that we were just like them, and that there was no reason for violence, we abiding by the law, but more would just join. I just stood there and stared at Dick, regretting I had ever listened to Dick in the first place, I looked up to see if we could make a hasty escape, then someone hit me over the head with something heavy, like a pipe and I went down. I heard Dick scream, I heard him scream my name. He was fucking _good_ , he was a fighter – but there was just too many of them. I tried to get up, I tried to fight back, but it was like a constant fucking onslaught. I blacked out and when I came to, he was just lying there, still. Too still.” Jason angrily wiped his eyes, turning his back to Dick fighting to collect himself.

[ _Getting to his feet took too long, his movements were too sluggish, it hurt breathing, black dots danced across his vision, and for a moment he thought he’d faint. “Dickie?” He croaked, “Baby?” He heard his own voice as through a bucket, it was far away and distorted. Terror travelled up his spine, and he half expected the Joker to step in front of him, mocking him for even trying._

_He made it to where Dick lay, and automatically he cupped Dick’s face, staring into the blank eyes. “Baby?” He asked tears pooling in his eyes as he felt Dick’s head lull between his hands. “No..” He whispered, “No! NO!” The last he screamed from the top of his lungs, the scream wouldn’t end, it just continued as a primal scream._

_When Bruce arrived, he gently pulled Jason to his feet and held him tight. And Jason clung to him for dear life, he couldn’t recall a time when he had ever hugged Bruce before this. “I hate you.” Jason cried clawing at Bruce’s shoulder. “It should have been you, not him.” He sobbed against Bruce’s chest._

_“Yes.” Bruce just said as he caressed Jason’s hair soothingly.]_

“Thing you have to understand about Bruce is that he is not saving the innocent, he punishes the wicked.” Jason said, his voice dripping with venom, “Who knows if he could have saved Dick, but he didn’t because he was making a statement.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Oh really?” Jason laughed mirthlessly. And then pulled his hood up shivering momentarily. “It doesn’t matter, let’s just find Barry.”


	3. Chapter 3

Jason was in a foul mood the rest of that morning, he didn’t answer when Dick asked him something. They would carefully move from rooftop to rooftop, careful not to alert the lone walkers below them. “Doesn’t seem to be too many of them around here.”

“That just means people, so stay on your toes.” Jason answered out through his teeth, but then stopped. “Here.” He said and handed Dick a gun. “Take it.”

“Yeah.. I uhm..” Dick said staring down at the gun with a disgusted expression.

“Now is not the time to go all Wayne on me.” Jason said hashly, “These people know who you are, and they will shoot on sight.”

“A fighting chance huh?” Dick asked as he reluctantly took the gun.

“Something like that.” Jason said with a tiny smile, the first genuine smile Dick had seen since they met. “Come on, Barry lives over in that green house.”

“You know where he lives?” Dick answered surprised.

“Sure.” Jason said with a shrug, “Nothing much gets past me out here.”

“And you didn’t say anything?” Dick shook his head.

“Why would I?” Jason stated before he leapt over to a balcony of the green house. “Yo Barry.” He knocked the window. “It’s me, Jason.”

The door opened and a lanky blond man smiled at them. “Jason, it’s been a while.” His eyes wandered over to Dick and all colour paled from his face. “Who is…”

“Long story, short version is that he’s Dick from a different reality, universe, whatever.” Jason said as he walked past Barry. “And Bruce wants you to help to power up another portal.”

Barry just stared at the two young men as they walked into his hideout. “Alright… but since when have you been doing Bruce any favours?”

“I’m not.” Jason huffed, sitting down on a rickety chair. “I’m helping Dick to get back where he belong.”

“I see.” Barry eyed Jason and then turned to Dick and smiled, “So… Long way from home huh?”

“You could say that.” Dick said with a smile.

-*-

Hours later Jason was snoring lightly, while Barry and Dick was having coffee, “I can’t remember when I last had coffee.” Dick sighed blissfully.

“It’s somewhat of a commodity here, but only the best for my special guests.” Barry said, he paused and turned the cup around in his hands a couple of times, fidgeting. “So, really. Why are you here?”

“Bruce wants to create another portal.” Dick said, “But I don’t think he means to send me home.”

Barry nodded, “I see.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty obvious. Haven’t you ever wanted something so much that you went for it, damn the consequences?” Barry asked carefully sipping his coffee.

“Maybe.”

“I think Bruce wants to right his wrongs.” Barry said. “And it all boils down to him.” He nodded towards the sleeping Jason.

Dick rose a brow. “I thought it all started with Bruce killing the Joker.”

Barry smiled, “True, but do you know _why_ he killed the Joker?”

Dick shook his head, “I just assumed he went mad.”

“Well he did.” Barry admitted with a slight nod. “Okay I don’t know all the details, I’m not exactly inner circle or anything, and Jason clams up if you ask him.” Barry poured the more coffee in their cups and unscrewed a bottle of whiskey, “Want some?” He held out the bottle for Dick who shook his head. Barry poured a healthy amount of whiskey in his own coffee and looked up at Dick. “Jason was an orphan, he was a kid destined for really bad things, and Bruce found him stealing prescription pills from a hospital. The kid showed so much zest that Bruce somehow decided that he would take another Robin on. Since Dick, uhm the other you… whatever. Since Dick left to be Nightwing I guess Bruce became lonely or something, or maybe he just saw Jason for what he was, a little survivor.” Barry sipped his coffee, “So Jason and Bruce seldom really saw eye to eye on things, but they didn’t fight or nothing, it was just one of those things, I think Jason tried to be as good or better than Dick, and I can only imagine what living in the shadow of Dick Grayson gets you – no offence.”

“None taken.” Dick smiled quickly.

“There was this case that Jason was investigating, a bunch of schoolkids disappearing. And instead of asking for help he investigated it alone. Wanting to make Bruce proud showing him that he was the best Robin ever.” Barry looked over at sleeping Jason. “Thing is that it was all a trap. And at the other end of the noose stood Joker, he caught Jason and hid him.”

“I’d like some of that whiskey.” Dick mumbled and held out his cup. Barry just smiled and poured some in.

“Joker tortured him for a year.” Barry whispered.

“A year? Oh my god! Where was Bruce? Where was Dick? I mean… a year?” Dick gasped.

“The Joker had sent Bruce some tapes of Jason dead.” Barry said, “And so they assumed he was dead. And that Jokers grand scheme was to hurt Bruce by proxy.”

“But?”

“But in fact Jason was alive, and stuck in a rundown wing of Arkham Asylum for that year until Joker decided his job was done or something.” Barry shrugged, “I don’t know exactly what happened, you’d have to ask Jason.”

Dick turned in his chair studying Jason, “So that _J_ on his cheek doesn’t stand for Jason.”

“No.” Barry said in a sad tone.

“That is terrible.” Dick whispered, “That is - beyond words.”

“When Bruce realised what Joker had done, that Jason was actually alive, and about as stable as a powder keg, that is when he just went off. I am not sure he wanted to kill the Joker, I think it just happened because Bruce was unable to reign himself in, he kept punching till he couldn’t feel the hurt.”

“So that is why Jason thinks Bruce blames him for Dick’s death.” Dick said looking down into his cup, swirling the brown liquid before taking a sip. “He never trusted him again, because he didn’t know what the Joker did to him.”

“You might be right.” Barry said, “But you gotta remember that he brought in Tim Drake as his new Robin before he found Jason… Or let’s say Jason found him.”

“Yeah.” Dick said with a small voice, “My Jason, back from my Gotham, he was blown to pieces by the Joker, and then buried. He dug himself out of his grave with his bare hands. We thought he was dead, we were so _sure_.” Dick emptied his cup, “He went into a coma and then Talia el Ghul tossed him in that pit of theirs, hoping to restore his mind, but he was never really Jason again, he was something else.”

“Believe you me, before my Jason met Dick, he was completely lost in his own hate and shame.” Barry said. “More snarling animal than man.”

“Can I ask you what you are doing in Gotham to begin with?” Dick asked.

“Not much of a story, I came to help with those freaks, then hid when the crowds went mad. Ditched my costume and stuck around I suppose.” Barry said with a shrug.

As Dick went to lay down next to Jason he couldn’t help but to feel sad, maybe it was the whiskey, but he spooned up behind Jason even if the room was warm. Jason stirred and then half asleep took his hand lacing his fingers between Dick’s and purred before he settled again.

The next morning Dick woke to Jason and Barry arguing outside. Dick walked outside scratching his hair, blinking as the harsh sun blinded him. “Where’s the fire?”

“I am trying to tell him to just go to Wayne manor, and that we will come later. But he won’t.” Jason said tossing his hands up in a frustrated gesture.

“Why not?” Dick wet his lips, still trying to focus.

“Because you guys have a long trek, that is not fair.” Barry said.

“Fuck fair.” Jason growled, “Would you just get to Bruce and get this shit over with? Dick needs to go home to his own life.”

“But you just said that Bruce isn’t interested in sending Dick home, he wants to recollect his family.” Barry said, looking from Dick to Jason.

“Reason with him for fucks sake.” Jason said.

“No one can reason with Bruce.” Barry huffed. “So you want me to go along with his stupid plan, is that it?”

“No!” Jason yelled, “I don’t know… I just know we have to get that portal working, maybe you guys can trick him?”

“Could be.” Dick said, “If we get Alfred to help us, I know he thinks this whole deal is insane as well.”

Barry locked eyes with Jason for a moment and read all he needed to know. “I hope you know what you are doing.” He said, and then took off leaving them stranded on the balcony.

“Asshole.” Jason muttered. “Come on let’s pack up, take whatever food he can spare so we don’t have to go hunting for some.”

“Hunting?” Dick asked innocently as he followed Jason into the hideout.

“Yeah, finding a home or a supermarket which hasn’t been completely gutted is near impossible.” Jason sighed, “I’m forgetting that you spent your time at Wayne manor, that crazy old bat set that shit up to outlast the universe. At least his paranoia paid off.”

Dick opened his mouth to speak but decided against it, and just set about collecting their things. But in the end he was bursting to tell Jason. “Don’t get mad.” He said in a near whisper, “But Barry told me about your brand.”

All colour drained from Jason’s face. “He did, did he?”

“Well what he knew.” Dick said softly. Hoisting the rucksack over his shoulders, testing the heaviness and balance. “Just wanted to say… Well I really don’t know what to say other than I’m really sorry that happened to you.”

“I’m sure you are.” Jason hissed, and just grabbed his own rucksack and kicked the door open to the outside.

“Wait.” Dick walked outside seeing Jason already balancing on his way across a ledge to the next house. “I’m sorry!”

“No you aren’t.” Jason huffed focused on not tripping. “You could have asked me.”

“And you would have answered me?” Dick asked slightly amused.

“No.” Jason stated, “But it would have been honest.”

A shot rang through the air and the next thing Jason knew he was in free fall from the wall, he heard Dick scream something, but he just closed his eyes knowing that it was his own fault for not being careful to look for snipers because he was angry. But it was okay, maybe Dickie was waiting on the other side?

Dick hid behind the remains of a balcony door and looked at the scene unfurl down on the street. He could hear cheering and yelling, so it wasn’t walkers. “Is he alive?” someone yelled. “Yeah sorta” Someone yelled back. And then he just heard voices but couldn’t make out what they said. He dared a peek and saw them carry Jason down the street, there was a lot of blood. That was both good and bad, he could follow the bloodtrail, but he had learned by now it would attract the walkers. He waited for a good ten minutes before he dared peeking out, another bullet passed him so the sniper was still there. Only good thing about that was that Sniper rifles took a while to load and didn’t have a lot of bullets in the chamber.

So he chanced it, gritted his teeth and made a perfect flurry combo across the same ledge that Jason had fallen from. The sniper shot two more times, and then he apparently had to reload because no more shots were fired in succession. Dick decided he’d have to get down unto the streets, and find himself some sorts of weapon. The walkers were slow and dumb by day, and around here he had only seen a few. He slid down the drainpipe from the building and landed in an alley. He hid his rucksack as well as he could, and searched about for something he could use as a weapon. He was in total luck that someone had made a last stand here, and a body was mummified with a shiv in their shoulder. “Gross.” Dick mumbled as he pulled the shiv from the dry body.

-*-

Hours later Jason woke, at first he had no clue where he was, but he was hung from the ceiling by his hands, and the room was dark. His head hurt, and his back was killing him. He focused on his surroundings, “No.” He whimpered weakly, he knew this place. It was Arkham Asylum, and instantly he felt the same cold dread as before.

“So did he get the other?” A man said, turning on some lights in the room where Jason hung. “I don’t think so, but who cares? We got this one.” Another man said.  Suddenly they went silent, and one of them walked over to Jason lighting a flashlight directly at his face, “Look.” He prodded the burned J with a dirty fingernail. “Maybe he’s worth something?”

“Bah…” The other man replied. “Who cares for money anymore? He is going to feed us for a long time Fred, a long time. Do you really think the others wants to wait while you play businessman?”

“Suppose not.” The man let go of Jason’s cheek and walked away, “Shame.”

The next time Jason woke he wasn’t hanging anymore, he was tied to a gurney, and two other men was standing over him arguing over when and where to cut. “Please.” Jason whispered. “don’t.”

“Oh it speaks!” The man squealed in delight, “Wonderful!”

“Maybe you can tell us where that burn comes from, does it mean something?” The other man asked.

Jason felt panic rising, their voices distorting, blocking out everything else but the Jokers voice whispering _‘my, my boy wonder, maybe it’s time to clip your wings._ ’ “The Joker gave it to me.” Jason whispered.

“The J-man?” One of the men said in disbelief.

“I’m gonna have that framed!” The other man said eagerly.

“Like shit! I asked, so it’s mine!” The first man yelled.

While they argued, they had not seen the shadow jumping down from the rafters. Dick held on to the shiv, his hands were red with blood, not that it was the first time his hands were red from blood, but he had never killed someone before. His hands were still shaking from the prospect, if he could he would avoid it.

Jason was half lost in his dream world where the Joker was singing out of tune in his ear; ‘ _they left you to die here… tralalala… we all expected more from you’_ He saw someone walking towards him, and per instinct he let out a pitiful sound, “No more. Please.”

“Jay.” Dick said softly, “Come on.” He started to unfasten the straps on Jason’s wrists.

“Dickie?” Jason whispered, his eyes rolling back their sockets. _‘Dickie boy is dead, dead, DEAD’_ The Joker singsong in Jason’s ear. _‘who are you fooling?’_

“Jay please.” Dick begged, “We gotta go.” Jason was just mumbling gibberish that made no sense to Dick what so ever. “Fuck!” He grumbled as he undid the last straps, he grabbed Jason by his shoulders and pulled him up in a sitting position. “Jason!”

Jason focused again, and looked straight into Dick’s worried eyes. “You came.” He whispered, “You came for me.”

“Of course I did.” Dick said with a little smile,


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading =)

For a moment Dick didn’t think they’d ever make it out of the asylum, Jason was acting like a crazy person, mumbling softly, hearing answers when no one spoke. Dick had tried to make light of it and hope that Jason would snap out of it, but he didn’t and now Dick was really freaked out. He remembered that Barry had told him that the Joker had been tormenting Jason for a year, and Dick knew the Joker, any Joker. One thing was for sure, he didn’t do anything without a plan. He would have had to have a reason to keep this Jason alive and not just kill him like he had killed his Jason. As Jason stopped dead and violently hit his temples while his mouth made a silent scream, Dick didn’t know what to do. He looked over his shoulder hoping that Jason’s captors had given up, or maybe just lost their tracks. “Jason,” Dick whispered, backing Jason up against the wall, with one arm against his chest pinning him down, and with his other hand lifting Jason’s head, till they were eye to eye. “Jason! He is dead, he can’t hurt you.”

“You’re just a ghost.” Jason whispered broken, his eyes wide with fear but focused on Dick.

“I’m real, and I’m right here.” Dick said softly, “And you need to snap out of it if we’re going to make it out of here.”

Jason looked skittish and pale. “I wish you were.” He whispered.

“But I am!” Dick argued, “Here,” He grabbed Jason’s hand and placed it on his chest so Jason could feel his heart beat. “I promise, I’m real.”

Jason closed his eyes, just standing there with his hand on Dick’s chest. Suddenly he let out a whine and took his hand back, “stop messing with my head.” He mumbled.

“Jay..”

“STOP MESSING WITH MY HEAD!” Jason screamed and pushed Dick with all his might, and he would have run off if he wasn’t too injured to move fast. Dick caught him pretty fast, grabbing Jason’s arm, ignoring his protests and hoping they’d be out of here soon.

-*-

Dick had hoped that Jason would snap out of it once they were out of the Asylum, but he didn’t. The sun was setting and even if he had never seen what roamed the streets at night, he had heard the sounds, and had no intentions of being caught out here with whatever it was. “Come on.” He hoisted up in Jason and began a painfully slow climb to somewhere where he hoped he could lock them in for the night.

He wished he had paid better attention to what Jason had done all those nights, but he managed to find a run down apartment with a bathroom that was pretty big, but also looked easy to barricade. He placed Jason in the bathtub and set unto making the bathroom safe. When he was done, he could see out the cracks in the window that it was dark outside. He looked over at Jason who had fallen into restless sleep.

It was almost dawn when Dick woke to a soft voice calling his name, he opened his eyes surprised that he had fallen asleep. Jason was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, studying him.

“You’re up.” Dick said with a little smile, “Are you okay? Can you walk? Eh how’s your head?”

Jason chuckled mirthlessly, “I’m sore, but I’ll live.”

“Good.” Dick said taking in Jason’s mangled form, he looked pretty torn up, more than ‘sore’.

“Thank you.” Jason almost whispered.

“Don’t mention it.” Dick shrugged.

“If I had not been so angry that Barry had told you about ‘this’.” Jason pointed to the branded ‘j’ on his cheek, “then I would have seen the sniper, and… anyway it’s my own fault. And still you – you came for me.”

“Of course I did.” Dick said, “And you are right, I should have asked you.”

“The sun is up, maybe we should get moving.” Jason said casually, not voicing his shame of fucking everything up, needing rescue and then acting like a crazy person. “I uhm.. It was –“ He had his back to Dick, and slowly pried off the barricade that Dick had made the night before. “It was the Jokers favourite taunt, Dick and Bruce.”

“Oh.” Dick said softly, “I can only imagine.”

“No you can’t.” Jason answered sourly, but took a deep breath “I just wanted to apologize for all that, and you still took me with you – and…” He turned around and smiled a little bloodless smile at Dick, “Thank you, I mean it.”

“Couldn’t just let them eat you.” Dick said, “And uhm about that, your gun – I left it at Barry’s.”

“Of course you did.” Jason huffed amused. “There we go.” He ripped off the last bit of barricade. “Let’s get you home.” Jason opened the door and limped outside.

-*-

Alfred was horrified at seeing the state Jason was in, and was not negotiable when Jason wanted to see Bruce, but ushered Jason away to have his wounds looked over.

Dick slowly walked to Bruce’s office, the secret door was open and so he descended to the batcave. Bruce was there alright, so was Barry. They were having a heated argument over the massive machine in the middle of the cave. Dick decided that he was not about to get involved so instead he turned and went up to the office again, aiming for his own bedroom.

The night was uneventful, but Dicks dreams was still restless and full of dark corners. And when he woke, he woke to the entire building shaking. He sat up in his bed and looked around in the dark. Was it an earthquake? He heard running feet from the hall, and the second he got out of bed his door was opened with such force it almost hopped off it’s hinges. “Dick!” Damian looked frightened and wide eyed. “You gotta come.”

“What is it?” Dick asked, following Damian down the hall, bare feet, t-shirt and shorts. “Is it Bruce?”

“Yes.” Damian answered short of breath, “And Jason. They are going to kill each other… Please”

“What?” Dick ran faster towards the batcave, only to find Barry against the wall, and Jason aiming two guns at Bruce. Bruce looked like murder, and several monitors, servers and other electronics had been knocked over and taken potshots at. “What the hell?” Dick looked from Jason to Bruce.

“Recalibrate that machine Bruce, and send him home.” Jason just repeated, ignoring Dick’s presence.

“No.” Bruce just answered.  “He _is_ home.”

Jason rolled his shoulders but didn’t take his aim off Bruce, “Don’t you think that I want him to be real just as much as you do?” Jason said surprisingly soft. “BUT HE ISN’T! Bruce wake up! Grayson is _dead_ , we buried him for fucks sake! And this guy needs to go home to his own family.”

“Silence!” Bruce growled.

“And what about Tim? Are you going to find yourself another Tim too?” Jason asked walking a step closer to Bruce.

“None of your business.”

“Shut up! Barry and I have been looking for him for months, he might still be alive! And what did you do? Nothing, NOTHING!”

“He is dead.” Bruce bit back. “He would have come back if he was alive.”

“That’s it, I’m gonna kill you where you stand.” Jason took a step forth again and fired.

“Stop!” Dick cried, coming to Jason’s side. “Stop this!” The room went silent and everyone’s eyes were on Dick. “This is not worth more death. I refuse to be the reason to… to _this madness_!”

Jason lowered his guns slowly, “I thought you wanted to go home.”

“I do.” Dick said softly, “But not like this.”

“Bruce.” Damian said as he stepped out from the shadows, slowly walking towards Bruce who had sat down on a chair, just staring at the scene in front of him. “Father.” Bruce turned his head and looked at Damian, smiling a little sad. “We all miss Dick, Cass and Tim too – but this is not the way to set things right. Deep down you know that.”

Bruce nodded and mumbled something nobody heard.

“Still gonna shoot the fucker, the second you’re safely back home.” Jason huffed as he strapped his guns back in place.

“No you aren’t.” Dick sighed as he grabbed Jason’s arm. “He and Damian is all you got left.”

“You’re wrong.” Jason hissed angrily, pulling his arm back. “My search for Tim is –“

“You gotta consider the possibility that Tim is dead.” Barry said barely audible from the other side of the room.

“HE’S NOT!” Jason blew up and stared at Dick like he was the worst offender in history. “I am _not_ giving up on him.”

“Fair enough.” Barry said softly, “Neither am I – but would you at least just give it a thought, that we might never find him.”

“No.” Jason growled moments before he fled the batcave.

-*-

Jason was laying in the bedroom he knew was meant to house him, and while he was soothed by knowing that Bruce had cared enough to have this room built, it was an empty gesture. He was almost asleep when he was shaken back to reality by a knock on the door. To his surprise it was Bruce holding two glasses with malt colored liquid. “Are you awake? Bruce asked.

“Now I am.” Jason said with as much hostility as he could muster.

“Here.” Bruce handed Jason a glass. “I thought we could perhaps… talk.”

“Who set you up to this?” Jason asked, but none the less accepted the glass.

“No one.” Bruce said with a soft sigh. “I uhm, I recalibrated the machine, I don’t know if it will work, but Barry thinks it will.”

Jason just nodded, “I was just angry, you know that right? I’m not really gonna shoot you.”

“I know.” Bruce said with a little amused grin, “I know you Jason, if you wanted to shoot me, I’d be dead.”

Jason chuckled a little to, and for a second it felt like he was 15 years old again.

“So I was meaning to ask you; when Dick goes back…” Bruce wet his lips, forcing himself to maintain eye contact with Jason and not looking away. “Are you going to go with him?”

“No.” Jason said breaking eye contact. “I thought about it, I thought about sabotaging the machine so he had to stay – I thought about a lot of things.” His voice became a whisper, “But it all comes down to –“

“Love.” Bruce stated.

“Yes.” Jason mumbled.

“I wish we had sat down and had this talk years ago.” Bruce admitted, “Maybe a lot of things would have been different.”

“None of us were ready to talk.” Jason shrugged. “I wanted to marry him, but he wouldn’t because of how angry you’d be, choosing me over you.”

Bruce hung his head, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Jason said, “I was furious that he chose you over me. Point is, we are both guilty, and I don’t care who is the biggest asshole. I want Dick to be alright and so do you – and that means sending him home.”

Bruce nodded, “Then what?”

“Then we go back to hating each other, and I go back to searching for Tim.” Jason stated.

“We don’t have to.” Bruce held out a hand, palm up, towards Jason. “I could help you look for Tim.” When Jason didn’t answer or take his hand, Bruce stood with a sigh “Look Jason, you’re not the only one in need of redemption.”

Jason looked down at his drink in his hand, and then up at Bruce. “I know.” He just said.

“Let’s just get Dick home, and things can go back to how they were, if that is how you want it.” Bruce stopped in the door, but didn’t turn to look at Jason. “It’s up to you.”

-*-

Jason sat on a table and looked at Bruce and Berry triple checking all cords and connections, Dick standing on the side. “So when I leave, are you leaving the bunker?” He asked casually.

“Yes.” Jason said softly.

“Why?” Dick asked worried.

“I gotta get back to finding Tim, I already lost a lot of days babysitting you.” Jason said.

“What the hell?”

Jason didn’t look at Dick, he stared transfixed at the machine in the middle of the cave. “I hope it works, and I hope you land back home.” He shrugged and then turned sideways holding out a hand to Dick, “Safe travels, man. I wish you the best, I really do.” Dick shook his hand and watched confused as Jason left the cave with long strides.

“What’s up with Jason?” He asked out into the room.

Barry shrugged, but Bruce stopped and looked over at Dick, “He was never one for goodbyes.”

Dick just sat and thought it over for a moment, deciding that he couldn’t leave like that – it felt wrong. He slipped out of the cave and went to look for Jason, hoping he hadn’t skipped out already.

-*-

Holding the box in his hand Jason sat down in the library, thinking that no one in their right mind would look for him here. He carefully opened the box, it was almost religious the way he stroked his fingers along the edges. He let out a little huff as he looked down into the belly of the box, the photo! A smile spread in his face, Dick had saved that stupid photo, they looked so young and happy. Jason’s chest tightened with grief as he recalled how simple things had been, how he had still believed that they – they could… He gingerly picked up the ring, weighing it in his hand, and then hesitantly slipping it on his finger. He hadn’t noticed his breathing had sped up as he twisted the ring around and around. He could almost hear Dick laugh amused over his sentimentality.

“Jason?” Dick said softly not to startle the other man.

“I thought you left.” Jason just mumbled.

“I couldn’t leave like that.” Dick said carefully sitting down next to Jason on the floor. “Dick’s box,” He stated.

“Yeah.” Jason whispered. “Here.” He plucked the ring off and placed it in Dick’s palm. “A reminder of how lucky you are.”

“I can’t…”

“Please?” Jason said, closing Dick’s fingers over the ring. “That ring is all there is left of us, what was right and good. And I need you to guard it, will you do that for me?”

“You really think I’m lucky?” Dick asked softly.

“Yes.” Jason nodded, staring down into the box avoiding Dick’s gaze. Jason laughed bitterly, “I don’t think I’ve ever been jealous of Barbara before.”

“Oh.” Dick turned the ring in his palm. “I shouldn’t have told you that, it was in poor taste – I just didn’t know that you and Dick was, uhm together.”

“It’s fine.” Jason nodded, clearly not meaning it.

“Promise me you’ll stay for long enough to your wounds to heal.” Dick said sounding almost motherly.

Jason nodded silently and then gently put the box down on the ground before him. He turned sideways and looked at Dick, his eyes sad and wet from tears he refused to shed. “Dickie.” He said softly.

Dick looked at Jason, and couldn’t help but to smile, and for a moment he wished that Barbara would look at him with that much devotion. “Jay.” Dick whispered, the word almost stuck in his throat.

Jason caressed Dick’s cheek, his fingers gently mapping out Dick’s features, before he wrapped his arms around Dick’s neck, pulling him in for a tight embrace. “I wish it was really you.”

Dick felt an emotional lump in his throat, efficiently blocking anything he wanted to say, so he just wrapped his arms around Jason and held him tight. Eventually he croaked, “I’m so sorry.”

“S’not your fault.” Jason said as he let go of Dick, clearing his throat. “Go on down to the cave, I’m gonna be there in a moment.”

“Alright.” Dick said standing up but then hesitating, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” Jason smiled with a brave smile, “Just give me a minute.”

Dick nodded and left, something just sat really wrong with him. He had not seen Jason this emotionally unstable, well in the Asylum it made sense even if it almost killed them. He excused it with Jason being bad at goodbyes and in some sense he had to say goodbye to having Dick at his side, even if it was the wrong Dick. That had to mess with someone’s head.

-*-

Dick was strapped into the machine, listening to beeps and buzzing, watching Barry and Bruce as they debated how to go about this best. He noticed Damian sitting in the large chair that had to be Bruce’s, he smiled at Damian, and Damian smiled back. He couldn’t see Jason anywhere, and he halfway thought that he might have lied when he said he’d be here. Not that he blamed him, and they already said their goodbyes.

Suddenly he was there, standing next to Damian waving at Dick. “Safe travels Grayson!” He called.

“Thanks.” Dick called back. “Remember to mend, Todd!”

“I will!” Jason laughed with a smile which never reached his eyes.

“Ready?” Barry asked standing in the treadmill looking machine next to Dick.

“Absolutely.”

“Up, up and away!” Barry laughed as he started to slowly trod in the machine.

“hundred percent now!” Bruce said. “Green light.”

“Go.” Barry said and started to run.

The room started to blur and sparks sprung from the machine. Dick felt like he was falling, he blinked and when he opened his eyes again, he saw Jason had moved all the way to where Bruce was standing. Dick opened his mouth to warn Bruce, of what he didn’t know, but something was wrong! Very wrong. Barry didn’t see it, he was focused on running.

The last Dick saw before the deep blue abyss swallowed him and sent him hurling through space and time, was Jason raising his gun to the back of Bruce’s head.

 

**EPILOGUE:**

It had been both a blessing and a curse being back in his own place in the universe. Barry and Bruce’s plan had worked, he had been sent back home, not more than a week after he went missing. He would wake with nightmares of Jason executing Bruce, and he couldn’t explain it to Barbara.

The words that Jason had spoken suddenly resonated differently, that he had to keep the last pure bit of Jason safe. The ring was locked away in his safe like it was a magical item, and in some extend he figured it was.

With Damian safely home, then to Bruce’s surprise, and great worry – Dick decided to try and reign Jason in, see if he could become their brother again, to heal his wounds. It had been so strange to be eye to eye with the red hood, his anger and madness rolling off him in waves. Unlike the other Jason who was just broken. Dick stared at Jason, his eyes calculating and hateful, and scared. Yeah, maybe this Jason wasn’t so different. “Jay.” Dick said, “I’ve come to give you a hand, what do you say?”

“Why?”

“Because you’re my brother.” Dick said.

Jason’s hard stare became uncertain, “Makes no sense.”  

“Does it have to?” Dick said with a little smile, which to his surprise was mirrored in Jason’s face.


End file.
